Our History

Dedication to Excellent Education

Washington state's system of interconnected community and technical colleges had humble
beginnings. Early in the 20th century, junior colleges launched independently of one
another. Over the century, community and technical colleges gained in popularity and
recognition among the communities they served. More colleges opened their doors to
serve Washingtonians.

Today, the state's 34 community and technical colleges serve about 370,000 students
every year. This number accounts for about 59 percent (includes Running Start students)
of all students enrolled in Washington’s public higher education system, including
Running Start students. Together, these colleges and their formers students add $20.5 billion to the state’s economy each year.

College quick references

Washington's first junior college started in 1915 in Everett when 42 students began
a one-year college program on the top floor of Everett High School. It closed in 1923
for lack of students. Centralia College, the state's oldest existing community college,
opened in 1925. It was followed by Skagit Valley College in 1926, Yakima Valley Community
College in 1928 and Grays Harbor College in 1930. By 1941 eight junior colleges were
operating in Washington state, all locally administered and locally funded. Combined
enrollment was about 1,000 students.

Meanwhile, in 1930, the Seattle School District opened Edison Vocational School, the
first true, public vocational school in the state. The Spokane School District followed
suit in 1939 with establishment of the Spokane Trade School. Both schools eventually
became community colleges. The oldest existing vocational technical institute, Tacoma's
Bates VTI, opened in 1940. Subsequently, VTIs opened in Clover Park, Pasco, Renton,
Vancouver, Kirkland, Olympia and Bellingham. The VTIs in Pasco, Spokane, Vancouver
and Olympia eventually became community colleges.

Between 1925 and 1941, the Legislature attempted three times to provide state support
for junior colleges. State support was provided for the first time by the 1941 Legislature;
however, that act restricted the number and location of junior colleges, prohibiting
establishment in counties having either a public or private four-year institution.
In 1945, junior colleges were made a part of their local school districts and supported
through their funding.

In 1961, the state Legislature removed restrictions against expansion of community
colleges. The same year, junior colleges were designated as "community" colleges,
a term which first appeared in a 1947 Commission on Higher Education report to President Harry Truman. “A carefully developed program to strengthen higher education, taken together with
a program for the support of elementary and secondary education, will inevitably strengthen
our Nation and enrich the lives of our citizens,” Truman wrote about the report and
the country’s education system.

The financing of community colleges was separated from that of local school districts
in 1963, and in 1965 the Legislature declared that it intended to establish a separate,
independent community college system. Based on the recommendations of the Arthur D.
Little Company, the 1967 Legislature adopted the Community College Act of 1967 which
was signed on April 3 of that year.

The structure of the community college system remained largely intact until 1991 when,
as part of the Work Force Training and Education Act, the Legislature amended the
Community College Act of 1967 and redesignated it as the Community and Technical College Act of 1991.

The state's five remaining public vocational technical institutes were designated
as "technical colleges," removed from the jurisdiction of their local school districts,
and merged with the community college system.

The Community and Technical College Act of 1991 brought the Seattle Vocational Institute
(SVI) into the Seattle College District. Each technical college was provided with
its own college district and a board of trustees. Each technical college district
overlaps the districts of neighboring community colleges. The State Board for Community
College Education was renamed the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
by the 1991 act.

In 1994, the Legislature approved the establishment of the 30th college district,
Cascadia Community College, now Cascadia College. The new district began enrolling
state-supported students in fall 2000.

Pierce College Puyallup became the system's 34th college when the State Board for
Community and Technical Colleges granted it college status as part of the Pierce District
in June 1999.

In 2005, the Legislature gave the State Board authority to offer applied baccalaureate programs in a pilot program at selected community and technical colleges. The 2010 Legislature
removed the pilot status and gave the State Board authority to approve community and
technical college applied baccalaureate degree programs.

In 2009, the Legislature allowed the five technical colleges to offer transfer degrees
that prepare students for professional bachelor's degrees in addition to offering
technical degrees.

Today, the Washington state system of community and technical colleges embodies its
charge to “offer an open door to every citizen, regardless of his or her academic
background or experiences, at a cost normally within his or her economic means.” These
colleges are vital to the state’s educational goals, which recognize that higher education
elevates Washington’s economy by elevating the lives of the people who live here.